The Graduate Diploma in Construction is aimed at construction professionals who want to upgrade their qualifications and improve their knowledge and skill to advance their careers.
Students will learn about building modelling, contracts and management, quality management, sustainable technology and construction methodologies and specialise in Construction Management, Project Management or Quantity Surveying.
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
- Apply analytical, practical and research capabilities to unfamiliar situations in the area of construction
- Engage in professional level communication in visual, written and verbal modes
- Assess efficiency and productivity in construction projects
- Critically evaluate and financially manage construction projects
- Evaluate, advise on and manage risks associated with construction projects
- Manage employment relations in construction contexts
- Manage quality assurance in construction projects
- Evaluate and advise on sustainable construction materials, methods and technologies for use in construction projects
- Design, evaluate and apply health and safety management systems in construction contexts (Construction Management specialists)
- Plan and manage construction projects using project management principles, tools and techniques (Project Management specialists)
- Undertake measurement and estimation processes for construction projects (Quantity Surveying specialists).
Common Compulsory
BCON700 Level 7 Project
BCON710 Building Information Modelling and Communication
BCON720 Contracts and Management
BCON730 Employment Law and Relations
BCON740 Quality Management
BCON750 Sustainable Technology and Construction Methodologies
Compulsory for Construction Management
BCON660 Construction Practices
BCON760 Health and Safety in Construction
Compulsory for Project Management
BCON650 Project Management
BCON775 Planning and Scheduling Construction Projects
Compulsory for Quantity Surveying
BCON680 Measurement and Estimation 1
BCON770 Measurement and Estimation 2
After graduation (and further work experience in some cases) possible jobs include Building Estimator, Building Inspector, Construction Economist, Construction Manager, Contract Manager, Project Manager*, Property Manager, Quantity Surveyor*, Site Manager and Team Leader.
*The Long-Term Skill Shortage List published by Immigration NZ in February 2018 includes Building Project Manager and Quantity Surveyor.
Students will have completed all requirements of a bachelors' degree in a relevant field (such as architecture, engineering, science - with a construction related major/strand , surveying, technology) and been employed in a responsible position in the field of construction for at least three years.
Mature Application (20 years of age and above)
Notwithstanding the above admission criteria, mature aged applicants who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programmes may be considered for admission, provided they have successfully completed an approved course or programme, or have relevant industry experience, which is deemed to meet the required standard for entry.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL); or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor ‘s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment.
Graduate Certificate or Diploma at Level 7
- IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5
- TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE)
- TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18)
- Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill.
- OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
- NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current:
- Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42
- Language Cert - C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill
- Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction in any band